Astropad Luna Display Now Supports Windows

Astropad's Luna Display Expands to Windows

The Luna Display, developed by Astropad, is an innovative device that allows users to utilize their iPad as a supplemental display. Initially released exclusively for Mac users, the company faced challenges following the introduction of a competing product by Apple. However, Luna Display is now compatible with Windows machines, signifying Astropad’s successful transition to a cross-platform offering.

A Challenging Path to Market

The journey of bringing Astropad’s products to market has been notably difficult. We have closely observed the company and its evolution through a prolonged and complex development process. The initial product launch occurred approximately five years ago, followed by the integration of a wireless capability in 2018 to eliminate the need for cables.

The company’s momentum was significantly impacted when Apple unveiled Sidecar in 2019, which diminished the unique value proposition of Luna Display and prompted a period of crisis for Astropad.

Transparency and a Strategic Pivot

Throughout these challenges, Astropad’s leadership demonstrated commendable transparency with its user base. After being surpassed by Apple’s offering, the founders maintained operations and announced a shift in focus towards developing a Windows-compatible product. This initiative was supported by a successful $400,000 Kickstarter campaign.

Version 5.0 and Windows Support Arrives

Originally slated for a May 2021 release as part of the Kickstarter project, the Windows product experienced several delays, common in product development. However, the wait is now over, with the arrival of version 5.0 of Luna Display alongside the Windows support.

The device functions by connecting via a dongle to either a Mac or Windows system, enabling iPad integration with gesture control, Apple Pencil functionality, and external keyboard compatibility. Astropad reports a latency of just 16ms. While slightly higher than Apple’s Sidecar’s 9ms, this latency is sufficient for many applications that do not demand instantaneous responsiveness.

While intensive design tasks or gaming may not be ideal, displaying applications like Chrome tabs or Word documents will perform seamlessly.

Strong Demand and Multiple Operating Modes

Astropad states that its customer base has eagerly anticipated Windows support, evidenced by 8,000 preorders. The company’s dedicated followers will undoubtedly welcome the availability of this long-awaited product.

The Luna Display offers several operational modes: functioning as a secondary display for an iPad, serving as a secondary display for another Mac (even older models), or operating in “headless mode.” In headless mode, a Mac or PC can act as the primary display for a desktop Mac, such as a Mac Mini or Mac Pro.

Rust Programming Language and Future Development

The software powering the solution was developed using the Rust programming language. Astropad’s CEO, Matt Ronge, provided an in-depth analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing this relatively new language for building a low-latency system.

“Rust provides us with a high-performance and portable platform that can be readily deployed on Mac, iOS, Linux, Android, and Windows,” explains Ronge. “This expansion will significantly increase our potential market reach, and we foresee numerous innovative applications for our LIQUID technology with this Rust-based platform.”

Availability and Pricing

The Luna Display is priced at $129 and is available for immediate purchase directly from Astropad. It supports both Mac and Windows systems and connects via USB-C, Mini DisplayPort, or HDMI.